Stylistic Inversion











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This book titled "EcoJustice Education: Toward Diverse, Democratic, and Sustainable Communities" has this sentence:




On the positive side of this system is the seemingly infinite variety of produce available (to those who can pay) all year long, which many of us now simply take for granted.




What does the main clause in bold mean?




(1) On the positive side of this system is the seemingly infinite variety of produce that is available (to those who can pay) all year long



(2) On the positive side of this system, the seemingly infinite variety of produce is available (to those who can pay) all year long




If only one of these interpretations is correct, why is the other incorrect?










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  • I would interpret it as the former. Does the latter even make sense?
    – Janus Bahs Jacquet
    Dec 9 at 14:59










  • @JanusBahsJacquet What about (2) doesn't make sense? Also, is (1) correct even if "is" is replaced with "lies"?
    – JK2
    Dec 9 at 15:03










  • “On the positive side” would work fine in this context, but “on the positive side of the system” doesn’t make sense to me here. The produce isn’t available all year long on the positive side of the system – that doesn’t compute to me.
    – Janus Bahs Jacquet
    Dec 9 at 15:07










  • If you change the to a, (a seemingly infinite variety) then (2) works fine. That way, On the positive side of this system more clearly modifies the entire clause. I agree with @JanusBahsJacquet that the phrase is clumsy as written.
    – KarlG
    Dec 9 at 15:31












  • @KarlG Thanks for pointing that out. Speaking of the article "the", in the original text or in (1), is it possible to use "a seemingly..." instead of "the seemingly..."? (I understand that "the seemingly..." can be used in the original text because of the presence of the adjective phrase headed by "available".)
    – JK2
    Dec 10 at 1:39

















up vote
0
down vote

favorite












This book titled "EcoJustice Education: Toward Diverse, Democratic, and Sustainable Communities" has this sentence:




On the positive side of this system is the seemingly infinite variety of produce available (to those who can pay) all year long, which many of us now simply take for granted.




What does the main clause in bold mean?




(1) On the positive side of this system is the seemingly infinite variety of produce that is available (to those who can pay) all year long



(2) On the positive side of this system, the seemingly infinite variety of produce is available (to those who can pay) all year long




If only one of these interpretations is correct, why is the other incorrect?










share|improve this question






















  • I would interpret it as the former. Does the latter even make sense?
    – Janus Bahs Jacquet
    Dec 9 at 14:59










  • @JanusBahsJacquet What about (2) doesn't make sense? Also, is (1) correct even if "is" is replaced with "lies"?
    – JK2
    Dec 9 at 15:03










  • “On the positive side” would work fine in this context, but “on the positive side of the system” doesn’t make sense to me here. The produce isn’t available all year long on the positive side of the system – that doesn’t compute to me.
    – Janus Bahs Jacquet
    Dec 9 at 15:07










  • If you change the to a, (a seemingly infinite variety) then (2) works fine. That way, On the positive side of this system more clearly modifies the entire clause. I agree with @JanusBahsJacquet that the phrase is clumsy as written.
    – KarlG
    Dec 9 at 15:31












  • @KarlG Thanks for pointing that out. Speaking of the article "the", in the original text or in (1), is it possible to use "a seemingly..." instead of "the seemingly..."? (I understand that "the seemingly..." can be used in the original text because of the presence of the adjective phrase headed by "available".)
    – JK2
    Dec 10 at 1:39















up vote
0
down vote

favorite









up vote
0
down vote

favorite











This book titled "EcoJustice Education: Toward Diverse, Democratic, and Sustainable Communities" has this sentence:




On the positive side of this system is the seemingly infinite variety of produce available (to those who can pay) all year long, which many of us now simply take for granted.




What does the main clause in bold mean?




(1) On the positive side of this system is the seemingly infinite variety of produce that is available (to those who can pay) all year long



(2) On the positive side of this system, the seemingly infinite variety of produce is available (to those who can pay) all year long




If only one of these interpretations is correct, why is the other incorrect?










share|improve this question













This book titled "EcoJustice Education: Toward Diverse, Democratic, and Sustainable Communities" has this sentence:




On the positive side of this system is the seemingly infinite variety of produce available (to those who can pay) all year long, which many of us now simply take for granted.




What does the main clause in bold mean?




(1) On the positive side of this system is the seemingly infinite variety of produce that is available (to those who can pay) all year long



(2) On the positive side of this system, the seemingly infinite variety of produce is available (to those who can pay) all year long




If only one of these interpretations is correct, why is the other incorrect?







inversion






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share|improve this question











share|improve this question




share|improve this question










asked Dec 9 at 14:56









JK2

14611651




14611651












  • I would interpret it as the former. Does the latter even make sense?
    – Janus Bahs Jacquet
    Dec 9 at 14:59










  • @JanusBahsJacquet What about (2) doesn't make sense? Also, is (1) correct even if "is" is replaced with "lies"?
    – JK2
    Dec 9 at 15:03










  • “On the positive side” would work fine in this context, but “on the positive side of the system” doesn’t make sense to me here. The produce isn’t available all year long on the positive side of the system – that doesn’t compute to me.
    – Janus Bahs Jacquet
    Dec 9 at 15:07










  • If you change the to a, (a seemingly infinite variety) then (2) works fine. That way, On the positive side of this system more clearly modifies the entire clause. I agree with @JanusBahsJacquet that the phrase is clumsy as written.
    – KarlG
    Dec 9 at 15:31












  • @KarlG Thanks for pointing that out. Speaking of the article "the", in the original text or in (1), is it possible to use "a seemingly..." instead of "the seemingly..."? (I understand that "the seemingly..." can be used in the original text because of the presence of the adjective phrase headed by "available".)
    – JK2
    Dec 10 at 1:39




















  • I would interpret it as the former. Does the latter even make sense?
    – Janus Bahs Jacquet
    Dec 9 at 14:59










  • @JanusBahsJacquet What about (2) doesn't make sense? Also, is (1) correct even if "is" is replaced with "lies"?
    – JK2
    Dec 9 at 15:03










  • “On the positive side” would work fine in this context, but “on the positive side of the system” doesn’t make sense to me here. The produce isn’t available all year long on the positive side of the system – that doesn’t compute to me.
    – Janus Bahs Jacquet
    Dec 9 at 15:07










  • If you change the to a, (a seemingly infinite variety) then (2) works fine. That way, On the positive side of this system more clearly modifies the entire clause. I agree with @JanusBahsJacquet that the phrase is clumsy as written.
    – KarlG
    Dec 9 at 15:31












  • @KarlG Thanks for pointing that out. Speaking of the article "the", in the original text or in (1), is it possible to use "a seemingly..." instead of "the seemingly..."? (I understand that "the seemingly..." can be used in the original text because of the presence of the adjective phrase headed by "available".)
    – JK2
    Dec 10 at 1:39


















I would interpret it as the former. Does the latter even make sense?
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Dec 9 at 14:59




I would interpret it as the former. Does the latter even make sense?
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Dec 9 at 14:59












@JanusBahsJacquet What about (2) doesn't make sense? Also, is (1) correct even if "is" is replaced with "lies"?
– JK2
Dec 9 at 15:03




@JanusBahsJacquet What about (2) doesn't make sense? Also, is (1) correct even if "is" is replaced with "lies"?
– JK2
Dec 9 at 15:03












“On the positive side” would work fine in this context, but “on the positive side of the system” doesn’t make sense to me here. The produce isn’t available all year long on the positive side of the system – that doesn’t compute to me.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Dec 9 at 15:07




“On the positive side” would work fine in this context, but “on the positive side of the system” doesn’t make sense to me here. The produce isn’t available all year long on the positive side of the system – that doesn’t compute to me.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Dec 9 at 15:07












If you change the to a, (a seemingly infinite variety) then (2) works fine. That way, On the positive side of this system more clearly modifies the entire clause. I agree with @JanusBahsJacquet that the phrase is clumsy as written.
– KarlG
Dec 9 at 15:31






If you change the to a, (a seemingly infinite variety) then (2) works fine. That way, On the positive side of this system more clearly modifies the entire clause. I agree with @JanusBahsJacquet that the phrase is clumsy as written.
– KarlG
Dec 9 at 15:31














@KarlG Thanks for pointing that out. Speaking of the article "the", in the original text or in (1), is it possible to use "a seemingly..." instead of "the seemingly..."? (I understand that "the seemingly..." can be used in the original text because of the presence of the adjective phrase headed by "available".)
– JK2
Dec 10 at 1:39






@KarlG Thanks for pointing that out. Speaking of the article "the", in the original text or in (1), is it possible to use "a seemingly..." instead of "the seemingly..."? (I understand that "the seemingly..." can be used in the original text because of the presence of the adjective phrase headed by "available".)
– JK2
Dec 10 at 1:39












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(1)
If one cannot directly place the application of the availability either to "all year long" or "those who can pay," it should be assumed that it applies to both subjects so as to not create any unnecessary confusion and/or misguided assumption.






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    (1)
    If one cannot directly place the application of the availability either to "all year long" or "those who can pay," it should be assumed that it applies to both subjects so as to not create any unnecessary confusion and/or misguided assumption.






    share|improve this answer








    New contributor




    Drakon007 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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      up vote
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      (1)
      If one cannot directly place the application of the availability either to "all year long" or "those who can pay," it should be assumed that it applies to both subjects so as to not create any unnecessary confusion and/or misguided assumption.






      share|improve this answer








      New contributor




      Drakon007 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.




















        up vote
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        up vote
        0
        down vote









        (1)
        If one cannot directly place the application of the availability either to "all year long" or "those who can pay," it should be assumed that it applies to both subjects so as to not create any unnecessary confusion and/or misguided assumption.






        share|improve this answer








        New contributor




        Drakon007 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
        Check out our Code of Conduct.









        (1)
        If one cannot directly place the application of the availability either to "all year long" or "those who can pay," it should be assumed that it applies to both subjects so as to not create any unnecessary confusion and/or misguided assumption.







        share|improve this answer








        New contributor




        Drakon007 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
        Check out our Code of Conduct.









        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer






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        answered Dec 10 at 0:00









        Drakon007

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